Reading Time: 2 minutes

UK Urges Citizens to Leave Lebanon Immediately Amid Rising Conflict Risk

British citizens should leave Lebanon immediately and avoid traveling to northern Israel or the Golan Heights due to the escalating risk of an all-out war, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced during a parliamentary address on Tuesday.

Safety Concerns Rise

“We will do all we can to prevent the outbreak of full-scale conflict,” Lammy stated, emphasizing that “the risk is rising.” He advised against all travel to northern Israel and the Golan Heights, as well as to Lebanon.

Lammy referred to the recent cross-border violence between the IDF and Hezbollah, including a tragic Hezbollah strike that killed 12 children at a soccer field in the Golan Heights. An Israeli citizen was also killed along the northern border on Tuesday.

Frequent Artillery Exchanges

“There are frequent artillery exchanges and air strikes. Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly,” Lammy warned. He highlighted the difficulty the government might face in evacuating everyone if the conflict escalates, urging British nationals to leave while commercial flights are still available.

US and European Airlines Respond

The United States has similarly advised its citizens to avoid traveling to southern Lebanon. Greece’s Aegean Airlines and Germany’s Condor canceled flights to Beirut on Tuesday, joining other airlines like Air France and Lufthansa, which suspended flights to the Lebanese capital due to escalating tensions.

Ongoing Evacuations and Alerts

A number of carriers have suspended, delayed, or canceled flights, although Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport continued to see arrivals from airlines including Pegasus, Emirates, Royal Jordanian, EgyptAir, Iran Air, Qatar Airways, and Etihad.

Regional Tensions

The increased tensions have led to significant disruptions and safety concerns for travelers in the region. The UK’s urgent call for its citizens to leave Lebanon highlights the severity of the situation as efforts continue to prevent further escalation.